Walt Disney World Filmed its portion of the ABC Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade today. But the adoring Disney fans lining Main Street USA on December 25 aren’t park guests — they’re Disney employees.
The annual event airs Christmas morning, featuring pre-recorded parade scenes and celebrity musical performances from both Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Disney normally films the event in early November and packs the front of the Magic Kingdom with guests who will then be featured on the Christmas Day broadcast.
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This year, however, paid guests could only watch the parade from certain areas.
The center of Main Street USA, from Casey’s Corner and the Main Street Ice Cream Parlor down to the end of the Emporium and the Confectionary was reserved exclusively for Disney cast members, AKA paid employees of the company. Park guests who needed to travel down Main Street USA had to travel through the Emporium gift shop.
Last year, cast members lined Main Street as well, but guests could watch the parade from anywhere on the route. This year, Disney completely barred guests from that central area, ensuring that the actual parade route seen by millions of people on Christmas morning will consist exclusively of paid company employees, many of whom were decked out in green and red.
Disney Cast Members Line Up For Disney Parks Christmas Parade Filming, Credit: La Reina Creole
In the image above, you can see the cast members lining up outside Magic Kingdom for the filming. The event check-in sign features the Disney Cast Life logo, which is a community app for Disney employees.
The ABC Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade promotes the Disney Parks and Experiences division. It features ads for the parks, Disney Cruiseline, Adventures By Disney, and the Aulani resort in Hawaii. By lining Main Street USA with cast members, the company would, in theory, be able to create a more controlled environment free of brand names on clothing or any actions taken by guests that might not be TV-friendly.
Cinderella and Prince Charming Arrive During the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade, Source: La Reina Creole
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YouTube personality La Reina Creole was in attendance for the filming, live streaming the event for her audience. She noted that the parade matched the Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime parade frequently performed at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
The parade even featured the show’s new soundtrack which debuted this year. It mixes an original song with various Christmas classics.
Disney kicked off the parade with a cavalcade of characters, including Pluto, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Peter Pan, Wendy Darling, and even Mary Poppins, and Bert from the Disney film Mary Poppins.
Mary Poppins, Bert, and Other Disney Characters in the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade, Credit: La Reina Creole
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Mickey and Minnie then came down in their massive Christmas float to greet guests. After that, there were appearances from Olaf, Elsa, the Toy Story characters, the Disney Princesses, Vanellope Von Schweetz, and more. The parade closed with a group of marching toy soldiers and reindeer who led the way for Santa and Mrs. Claus to make their big appearance.
Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus Arrive in the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade, Credit: La Reina Creole
The ABC Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade will air Christmas morning on ABC at 10 am EST.
What do you think of Disney’s decision to line the parade route with paid employees instead of guests? Sound off and let us know!
